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Penguins “Propose” To Their Mates With Gift Of Precious Painted Pebbles

Two penguins search through painted pebbles on the floor.

Sure, diamond rings are nice, but have you ever considered giving the love of your life a cool rock instead? That’s what penguins do, and it’s honestly one of the most endearing things about them. During mating season, many penguins will surprise their potential mate with the best pebbles they can find, indicating that they’re interested in starting a family together.

These sweet gestures of love take place during nesting time, something that the penguins of the Detroit Zoo are experiencing right now! Acting as their wing man, employees of the zoo surprised the birds with some of the most colorful rocks around. In fact, young visitors to the zoo painted the pebbles with non-toxic paint. The result? Lots of happy penguins!

Penguins Use Pretty Pebbles to Woo Their Mates

@detroitzoo 🌈 Oh, what luck! 🌈 The penguins were gifted some "lucky charms" to give to their mates during nesting season! 🐧 #detroitzoo #detroit #zoo #penguins #matingseason #luckycharms #paintedpebbles #pretty #cute #michigan ♬ original sound – DetroitZoo

The Detroit Zoo captured footage of their penguins “proposing,” and it is oh-so sweet! When looking through all of their pebble options, it’s clear that the penguins give a lot of thought into which one is the best choice.

Although it’s not entirely clear why penguins use pebbles like engagement rings, it’s believed that it indicates a penguin’s interest and ability to build a nest with their mate. Best of all, though, it also seems to be a way in which they bond. In any case, this sweet gesture of love is absolutely heartwarming!

You can find the source of this story’s featured image here!

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